Spokane

SPOKANE, WA – Proposed regulations on mobile food trucks operating in Spokane were temporarily withdrawn from City Council consideration Monday night following organized opposition from owners concerned about fees and restrictions.

“We are all very glad to see that the city of Spokane is being proactive,” said Joile Forral, president of the newly formed Greater Spokane Food Truck Association. “However, we do not feel that the ordinances … are ready to be passed.”

The council agreed 5-2 to a one-month delay sought by Council President Ben Stuckart and Councilman Mike Allen. Both want to meet with all sides over the next month to try ironing out the concerns.

Among them are provisions enabling property owners to prohibit the food trucks and carts from operating in adjacent public rights of way such as city parking stalls or sidewalks, and a fee structure that charges an additional amount for each location mobile truck operators want to operate in. The regulations also would enable fixed-location restaurants to prohibit food trucks from setting up within 75 feet of their front door, though some council members indicated they’re unlikely to budge on that one.

Meanwhile, food trucks will continue to operate in a legal gray area.

State law requires that they comply with the same health and safety laws as restaurants, but none of the city’s business licenses adequately address the way the increasingly popular industry does business, leaving food truck operators potentially vulnerable if local authorities decided to crack down on them.

SPOKANE, WA – A new ordinance proposed at Monday night’s Spokane City Council meeting would regulate cooking on street corners. It’s a plan to give food trucks some guidance but not everyone serving out of a window is happy.

There are food trucks and carts popping up all over Spokane; a dozen of them cooked at the food truck rally about two weeks ago. Now city leaders are proposing changes that’ll help and hurt truck owners.

The issue was first brought to light more than a year ago and, since then, the city conducted a study with leaders, planners, and truck owners. The result was a new city ordinance proposed Monday night.

One major change is the ten minute rule. Technically trucks can only stay in one place for ten minutes, thought it’s not often enforced. The ordinance would allow for as long as the meter’s limit.

“We wanted to make sure our rules accommodated that industry,” Andrew Worlock with the city planning department said.

Truck owners would also have to get permission from the business they’re parked in front of, even if it’s a city spot.

“Today, if a mobile food vendor parks in front of a business and the business doesn’t like having the food vendor there, they can ask them to move,” Worlock said.

The ordinance would change that, a positive for truck owners so that situation won’t arise. However it would also add a $40 application fee for oversight and $10 for each location they want to set up.

In our quest to keep our readers up to date with the latest stories relating to the food truck industry has compiled a list of the stories that hit the wire this past weekend from Arcadiana, Horry County, Spokane and Miami.

January 3

The WOP Wagon began serving scratch-made pizza, stromboli and meatball po’boys just a week ago and has quickly found a following at Cowboy’s Night Club in Scott.

Find the entire article <here>

Horry County considering allowing food trucks – HORRY COUNTY, SC – A little bit of the big city could come to Horry County in the form of new places to eat. County officials are looking into expanding a food cart ordinance to include food trucks.

At the December council meeting someone brought up the idea of allowing food trucks in Horry County and that got the wheels turning.

January 4

Food trucks with taste, personality becoming a staple in Spokane Valley – SPOKANE, WA – It’s a growing trend – food trucks have been pulling up to parking lots and curbs offering everything from doughnuts and ice cream to hot dogs and grilled cheese. Last month in downtown Spokane, a group of food truck owners even held a rally, offering six options.

In Spokane Valley, the trend is starting to pick up too. We visited two vendors recently to see how business was going.

January 5

Food trucks of all flavors thriving in Miami-Dade suburbs – MIAMI, FL – John Jairo Peláez came to Miami in October of 2004 with only $1,000 in his pockets, after the bankruptcy of his shoe factory in the Colombian city of Medellín.

Nine years later, the businessman has become the owner of one of the most popular of the dozens of Hispanic fast-food trucks that turn up mornings in Kendall to serve clients looking for something tastier than traditional chain-store fare.

You may have missed it, but the mobile food industry is growing faster than anyone would have guessed two years ago. It can be difficult to keep up with the new trucks and carts as they pop up throughout the country. Because of this, Mobile Cuisine assists our readers weekly by posting the names and information about these trucks, so if they happen to be in your area, you can begin to follow them, or at least keep any eye out for them on the roads and cart pods.